More than 2,500 rhino have been killed by poachers in South Africa between 2009 and 2013 and trends indicate that the deaths will only continue to escalate due the greed of globally-controlled criminal poaching syndicates, many of whom have links to international terrorist groups. The threats to brave South African rangers and anti-poaching units grow daily: they need support – now.

In May 2011 as the rhino poaching crisis escalated, ACT established the ACT Rhino Fund, a funding and programme implementation initiative dedicated to assisting the conservation sector’s efforts to protect South Africa’s White and Black rhino populations.

100% of funds donated through the ACT Rhino Fund go to bona-fide rhino conservation and anti-poaching efforts of reputable NGOs, game reserves and state conservation agencies.

The ACT Rhino Fund's goal is to raise R10 million for critical rhino anti-poaching priorities in South Africa that are implemented by legitimate conservation groups that support large groups of threatened rhinos.white rhino & calf

To date, the ACT Rhino Fund has generated support of R6.3million from South African citizens, businesses, charitable foundations, schools, shopping centres, the tourism and adventure sports sectors. R3.4million of this came from Skydive for Rhinos – ACT’s rhino fundraising and awareness campaign in 2011 and 2012.

In 2013 Skydive for Rhinos morphed into a broader campaign called ACT for Rhinos, which continues to raise funds for anti-poaching initiatives in KwaZulu-Natal. The ACT Rhino Fund has been instrumental in the implementation of innovative anti-poaching initiatives and the development of strategic partnerships. These include:

The founding of the Project Rhino KZN association in September 2011, for which ACT provides the co-ordination & secretariat duties (including administration & financial management)

Aerial surveillance: this is a proven additional tool that is of great benefit to rangers and teams on the ground, and can assist large populations of rhino across several game reserves. Our funding support includes: aircraft operations, ground-to-air radios to assist reserves communicate with aerial patrols and coordinating the involvement of all important and affected stakeholders;

Community engagement: unemployment, poverty and food insecurity often drive people to join poaching syndicates; educational and income generation projects in communities bordering game reserves improve relationships and helps identifiy those involved in poaching syndicates. A strong focus of our funding is on educating children of the importance of conserving rhino and other endangered species, using art and soccer;

Strategic skills & expertise: supporting the conservation community improve its ability to work affectively against poaching syndicates

Funds will be distributed nationally, with key priority regions being KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo,North West and the Eastern Cape.

SKYDIVE FOR RHINOS

In response to what can only be described as an onslaught to South Africa’s black and white rhino populations from organised poaching syndicates, ACT ran its successful Skydive for Rhino’s campaign in KwaZulu-Natal in 2011. Building on the success of the campaign, ACT rolled out a nation-wide campaign in 2012 to raise funds for four major national rhino anti-poaching strategies.

The campaign was a huge success and resulted in 400+ jumpers skydiving from 4 sites around the country raising R6.6 million in cash and kind. The funds raised have been used for aerial surveillance, advanced training for game reserve staff, the provision of equipment for rhino anti-poaching units (APUs) and community intervention programmes.

See the power of extraordinary South Africans who took part in Skydive for Rhinos 2012 in the video.